A Moment in Time: Opening Ceremonies
by Zoe Milex
Summary: A Moment in Time is a story of several witches and wizards attending Hogwarts at the same time as the infamous Lord Voldemort, or Tom as he was known then. Opening Ceremonies is the story of their first year as they get accustomed to their new life.
1. The Hogwarts Express

**Diclaimer:** Anything you recognize isn't mine *cries* But anything you don't comes straight from my own brain :) Enjoy

**Chapter One: The Hogwarts Express**

_Derek_

Derek Glenview padded up and down the train, searching for and open compartment. The only one that wasn't full housed a silvery-haired girl who was staring dreamily out the window. He tentatively knocked on the door as she grabbed a chocolate frog out of the bag by her feet. She looked up, her violet eyes wide with surprise, then she smiled and waved him in. "Hello," She said.

Derek smiled in reply. "Hi, I'm Derek Glenview." He introduced himself, sliding into the seat across from her.

The girl smiled distantly, turning her violet eyes back to the scenery flashing along outside the train window. "Melody. White." She said in her light, sparkling voice.

Derek smiled. "It's nice to meet…" But he never got farther than that. A crashing sound outside their compartment brought Derek rushing out.

There were three other people in the hallway, two relatively light haired boys and a dark-skinned girl. The boys were on the ground, one of them looking distraught, the other frustrated. The girl just looked annoyed. "Can you two keep it down? I'm trying to concentrate!"

The blond boy smiled wanly at the girl. "Sorry Harrison, we'll be good."

The girl snorted. "Uh huh, I'll believe that if I see it Victor." She retorted, and then returned to her compartment, which was adjacent to Derek and Melody's.

Derek turned his attention to the other boy, who hadn't said a word, and was looking decidedly pale. "Are you all right?" He asked him, worried.

The ginger-haired boy gave a feeble smile. "Yeah, I'll be alright mate." He attempted to conceal his clearly broken arm, unsuccessfully.

"You don't look alright." Melody noted from behind, in a detached voice. Derek jumped. He hadn't heard Melody come up behind him.

The short boy in front of them grimaced. "Yeah, well, not the first time…" He muttered, turning red.

"Hey, you don't look good." Victor had dusted himself off and now offered his hand to the boy still on the ground, who reluctantly took it. "I'm really sorry, by the way. I didn't mean to slam into you."

The other boy half-nodded. He leaned heavily against the wall, cradling his busted arm.

"Hey, why don't you come in and rest while I find someone to fix your arm?" Derek gently led the boy into the compartment. "What's your name?"

The boy gratefully sat. "Terence. Terence Falcon." That was all he said before closing his eyes and leaning against the window.

Melody regarded him for a moment, and then smiled sweetly at Derek. "I'll watch him."

Derek nodded his thanks and stepped into the hall. Victor stood straighter. "Is the kid okay?" The blond boy asked, looking genuinely worried.

Derek sighed. "Well, his arm looks like it's been run over," Victor winced, "But if it's set soon, he should be fine."

Victor nodded. "I know a girl in Slytherin who's really good at that kind of thing." He offered. "Her dad works in a hospital, and she helps out there a lot, so she knows all kinds of stuff." He grinned. "You've met her."

Derek frowned in confusion; then he realized that the dark girl, Harrison he assumed, must be whom Victor was talking about. He nodded. "Alright, let's go get her."

Victor coughed. "Erm, you should know that Tessa is… um…"

Derek looked at the blond. "Wait. Who's Tessa?"

"Oh! Tessa is that girl from earlier!"

"But you called her Harrison."

The boy grinned. "Well, Tess and I call each other by our last names. I'm not sure why. My name is actually Jeremy. Jeremy Victor. And about Tess… she doesn't really like strangers. We used to go to school together, which is why she's okay with me, but she doesn't know you…" He trailed off, earnestly looking at Derek, willing him to understand.

Derek smiled. "Oh! Okay, I'll wait with Melody and Terence."

Jeremy looked relieved. "Great! I'll be back in a minute!"

Derek slipped back into the compartment to find Terence sprawled across his original seat. He frowned. Terence had gotten paler in the minute that Derek had been speaking with Jeremy.

Melody saw him frown. "He's alright." She said airily. "He's just in pain. It's normal to become pale when you're in pain."

Derek smiled at her. "So Melody, is this your first year?" He asked, sliding into the seat next to her.

She nodded. Her eyes had turned back to Terence, and she was watching him with the thoughtful interest that one might watch a butterfly: beautiful to look at, but not good for much else. "You are a fist year as well."

It wasn't a question, but Derek answered anyway, if only to fill the silence. "Yep. I wonder if Terence is in his first?" He looked again at the small figure across from them, and was surprised to find dark green eyes looking back.

"Yeah, it's my first year." Terence gave that tired grin again. "Bloody brilliant way to start it, huh?" He sighed, gesturing to his left arm.

Derek smiled. "I'm glad to see you're taking it well Terence." He said.

Terence snorted. "I'm actually taking it really badly, I'm just not showing it." He admitted, closing his eyes again.

Derek sighed. "Well, Jeremy said that he would talk to Tessa. She is apparently good at this kind of thing…" He trailed off when he saw Terence wince as the train his a bump.

"Yeah, well, he better hurry up." Terence growled, before turning his back to the two people across from him and staring moodily out the window.

Derek bit his lip, not sure what to do. Luckily, Jeremy chose that moment to bounce into the cabin, dragging a very sour-looking Tessa with him.

"She relented! My continuous begging has worn her down!" The blond announced.

Tessa narrowed her hazelnut eyes. "Watch your mouth, Victor. I'm willing to change my mind." She snapped. "Oh, hey kid." She added to Terence, who whimpered softly in reply. "You certainly have a knack for getting hurt, don't you?" She said it with cold humor, yet she looked genuinely worried.

Terence grimaced in reply. "My mum says I've got the ruddiest luck in Britain, and I'm inclined to believe she's right." He muttered.

Jeremy frowned. "Wait… Tess, you know him?"

Tessa smiled without humor. "We met in Diagon Alley." She said, waving her hand evasively. "Anyway, let's see what we've got here." She carefully examined Terence's bared arm.

Derek felt slightly sick at the sight of the shattered bone, and quickly excused himself. He found that Jeremy was already in the hall.

"Hey. You couldn't stand the sight of it either, huh?"

Derek shrugged. "It was unnerving, to say the least." He admitted. "So you're a second year?"

Jeremy grinned and stood a bit taller. "Yup, Harrison and I both." He boasted.

Derek frowned. "It's weird how you call her that."

Jeremy laughed. "Oh, I'll call her Tess then." He grinned.

The two continued talking in the hall until Tessa stepped back into the corridor. "Alright, he needs to sleep, so Victor, keep your nose out of that compartment." She told him. "And who're you?"

"Derek Glenview, first year." Derek told her.

Tessa nodded. "Okay Glenview, White says that you're okay, so you can go back to your seat now." She flipped her long black hair over her shoulder before returning to her car.

Derek watched her go. "Let me guess, she started the whole 'call someone by their last name' idea."

Jeremy laughed. "Yup. Well, I'll see ya later Derek." He grinned and sauntered down the corridor, humming softly to himself.

Derek reentered the compartment and was surprised to see that Terence's arm was mended perfectly, as if it had never been broken.

The red head grinned at Derek. "Hey, I didn't catch your name earlier." He said.

"Oh, I'm Derek, she's Melody. Jeremy was the guy who ran into you… and I guess you already know Tessa?" He looked at the boy questioningly as he slid into the seat next to Melody.

Terence blushed. "Yeah. Like she said, we met at Ollivanders. Or, just outside of it, when she nearly killed me by loosing control of a levitating pot."

Derek winced. "I'm afraid to ask where it landed."

The redhead laughed. "Oh, it didn't hit me directly, but the pieces embedded themselves in my legs and chest."

Melody had lost interest in the conversation and had been staring out the window, when she suddenly turned back to the boys. "It sounds like a Heliotrope decided to save you." She noted offhandedly.

Terence raised an eyebrow. "Uh huh."

Derek bit his lip. "Um, what's a Heliotrope?" He asked, slightly ashamed that he didn't know.

"Oh, you must be a muggle-born." Terence realized. "Well, a Heliotrope is a fictional animal that is said to control a person's luck."

"Oh." A pause. "What's a muggle-born?"

Terence laughed. "A muggle is someone without magic." He explained. "Therefore, a muggle-born is a witch or wizard with no magic in his or her traceable lineage."

"Well, you're right. Neither of my parents are Wizards." Derek grinned. "I'm guessing your parents are?"

"Yup, both of them. I'm not a pureblood though." He added hastily. "I've got nothing against muggle-borns or halfbloods." He looked worried, then chuckled when he saw Derek's look of obvious confusion. "I forgot, you wouldn't know anything about that, would you?"

Derek shook his head, feeling a little embarrassed.

Terence settled back in his seat. "Well, there are 'classes' of sorts in the magic world. None is really above the other, though some classes disagree with that. Specifically, purebloods." He took a breath. "Purebloods are people with magic lineage that extends so far back that no one can remember if there was ever any non-magical people in it. Halfbloods are people who have one magical parent and one non-magical or muggle-born parent." Terence took another breath. "And I think that's all of them."

Derek frowned. "Wait, then where do you fit in?"

"Well…" Terence blushed lightly.

"Terence would be classified as a pureblood." Melody spoke for the first time in a while, though she didn't turn away from the window. "The correct definition of a pureblood is someone who has two magical parents who in turn had magical parents. Terence's definition applies solely to a select group of purebloods, who consider themselves higher class." She explained calmly, breathing onto the glass and doodling what appeared to be a pig with a tree growing out of its back and bug eyes.

"Okay, so I fudged the definition a bit." The redhead mumbled. "Those are the kinds of purebloods I grew up with! That's just how I view them."

"I'm a pureblood."

"By whose definition?"

"The correct one."

Terrence rolled his eyes, but let it slide. "I'm going to change into my robes." He announced suddenly, standing up and exiting the compartment.

Derek watched him go. "Didn't Tessa say that he needed to rest?" He commented, amused.

Melody didn't respond, choosing instead to add tusks to her pig.

"So, um, you said you're a pureblood?" Derek asked nervously, unsure if it was an okay question. Was blood purity similar to skin tone?

"Mm hmm." Melody inspected her drawing. "My parents are both half-bloods." She explained distantly, adding a few thin swirls in the tree.

"Oh… so do you think you could tell me a bit about Hogwarts?" Derek asked hopefully. "I only skimmed my textbooks, so I know that it's a school for witches and wizards, but not much more."

Melody sighed and wiped her picture clean before turning towards him. "Well, there are four houses…" She began.

The rest of the trip was relatively uneventful, with Melody explaining about Hogwarts and Nargles, and Terence sleeping rather fitfully after Tessa popped in a yelled at him for straining himself.

Derek was staring blankly out the window as Melody launched into a tirade against the Hippoflies, who crawled into your brain and ate your thoughts, when he saw the castle. It was huge, and managed to seem like it had grown out of the earth. He quietly laughed to himself. _Maybe it did._

"Wow." Terence breathed, cutting over Melody's speech. "Now that's something you don't see daily."

The three first years stared in awe at the school, until they were dragged back to reality by the jerky stopping of the train.

"First years with me!" A young woman was standing excitedly outside of the train, waving frantically so that she could be seen among the many students.

"I guess we're with her." Derek grinned at his friends, who smiled nervously back.

They walked over to the woman, who beamed at them. "Hello. You're first years?"

"Yep. " Derek returned her over zealous smile. "I'm Derek."

"I'm Professor Harmony Banks, but you can call me Harmony." She smiled again. "I'm going to be your Defense teacher this year."

"I look forward to it." Derek responded, quite honestly.

The other first years had assembled by then, and Professor Banks led them towards the lake in front of the castle. "Alright, find a boat and three buddies!" She called, ushering the little group to a dock that Derek didn't see until he was on it. He quickly grabbed a boat with Melody and Terence. A nervous looking girl, who was fidgeting with her wand, joined them.

"Hey, you excited?" Derek asked her.

She looked at him. "No. I want to go home." She whispered. "I don't want magic, I want normal!" She sounded panicked.

"Hey, you're a muggle-born aren't you? Well, don't worry. I am too, and I'll make sure that you have fun this year, ok?" Derek smiled at her, but she frowned and turned away.

"I'm Melody."

The brunette looked up, startled, when the eccentric blonde spoke. "I'm Natalie." She mumbled, turning her eyes back to the water.

"Well Natalie, it sounds like you may have been attacked by a Gogle. Gogles take all the bravery out of people, but they're easy to get rid of." Melody grinned. "You just have to hug someone you really like. Gogles can't stand anything lovey-dovey. Even hugging a parent would work."

Natalie looked at her like she was nuts, but Derek saw a tiny smile appear as she turned away.

"Alright, here we are! Form a line and follow me!" Professor Banks had to shout to be heard over the din of the nervous first years.

Derek managed to get completely separated from everyone on his boat, and found himself squished between a thin black haired girl with big, scared eyes, and a short boy who seemed rather bored.

"Hey, I'm Nathan." The boy introduced himself. "Nathan Kames. My older brother is a 5th year. His name's Jason."

"Um… okay?"

"Both of my parents are magical, but my mum is a muggle-born, so technically I'm a half-blood. But I still know a whole bunch of stuff about Hogwarts and magic and stuff." Here he paused to grin and breathe. "But I'm still super nervous about a couple of classes, like Charms and Transfiguration. Still though, I'm really excited to start my first year. Jason says that the new D.A.D.A. teacher is really cool! Professor Barns or something?"

"Um, Professor Banks, you mean?"

"You met her? Jason says that she's really chill with the students, and that even first years get to do practical application!" Nathan was wide-eyed with excitement. "Is she cool?"

"Uh, yeah… Harmony seems pretty nice."

"Right, Jason mentioned that she lets you call her by her first name. Wow! I can't believe that..."

Derek continued to listen politely as Nathan chattered on, but he felt a flock of butterflies filling his stomach as he stepped into the great hall. Who knew what this year had in store?

**AN:** So, yeah. This is random idea that came to me one day. I'm writing this solely for my own amusement, so you don't _have_ to review (Though it's always appreciated!). Oh, and if you're going to flame, go away. Well... I think that's it. I doubt anyone is actually going to read this note, but if you did, thanks!

ZoeM out


	2. Sorting and Such

Chapter 2: Sorting and Such

_Natalie_

Natalie sighed in relief as she was tugged away from her boat 'buddies' by a sudden rush of students. They had been too friendly for her to _not_ be suspicious. What were their motives for being her friend? Natalie knew that nothing good came of friends, since they just stabbed you in the back and looked the other way when you needed them most.

"Um… Natalie, right?"

Natalie whipped her head around, her startlingly green doe eyes wide and distrustful. "Yeah. Why?" The ginger in front of her held his hands up.

"Nothing! We shared a boat, remember? I'm Terence, by the way."

"Oh." She looked away, hoping he'd get the message and _cram it._

And, surprisingly, he backed off with only a muttered apology.

Natalie momentarily regretted snapping, but pretty much forgot the incident once she laid eyes on the great hall.

The room was enchanted to look like it was outside. Natalie stared wide-eyed and open-mouthed at the beautiful night scenes surrounding her. "Oh, wow."

"I guess magic isn't as bad as you thought."

The brunette snapped her mouth shut and pulled a face at the redhead. "Yeah, well, how was I to know that it would look like this?" She mumbled, blushing furiously.

"Hush you two! The Sorting is starting!"

Both pairs of emerald eyes blinked and turned towards the ratty hat being brought forth.

"What the…?" Natalie frowned at the hat. "What is that supposed to be?"

Terence opened his mouth to answer, but the hat beat him to it.

Natalie's eyes became saucers as the Sorting Hat sang its customary opening song. By the end, she had attracted the attention of two taller first year boys, who sidled over to her.

"So you're a mudblood, huh?" One asked snootily. Terence suddenly stood straight, his eyes narrowed and his fists clenched.

"Er, I'm sorry, what?" Natalie's guards pushed themselves higher as the boys approached.

"Mudblood: A piece of filth claiming to be magic but having no real magical ancestors." The other boy defined helpfully, earning him and unseen, and rather rude, gesture from the ginger.

However, the smaller boy's bird did not go unseen by the first speaker, who turned on him angrily. "What's you're problem?"

"You." The response was even, and moss-colored eyes calmly met the fiery brown ones glaring at them.

It happened in an instant. One moment the two boys were simply having a glare-down, and the next, Terence was pinned to the floor and the taller one was raining punches on his chest.

The group of kids around them moved nervously away, but Natalie moved closer. She still wasn't clear what the whole 'mudblood' nonsense was, but clearly it was a problem. So, being her, she jumped the boy assailing Terence.

He was momentarily knocked off balance, and Terence took the opportunity to slip out of his grasp, and added a sidekick for effect.

The assailant was now spread eagle on the ground with Natalie crouched on top of him; posed to attack the moment he showed signs of life.

A teacher suddenly pushed his way through the crowd. "What is going on here?" He demanded.

Natalie and her helper guiltily jumped to their feet. "He started it." She mumbled, gesturing towards the boy on the ground.

"Mr. Wright, is this true?"

Wright wrinkled his nose. "The boy provoked me." He growled, narrowing his eyes at Terence.

"Because you called Natalie a… a…" He made a face. "A you know what."

The teacher sighed. "I afraid this means detention for all of you. I'd like to speak with you tomorrow to determine details." With that he returned to the teacher's table.

Wright pulled a face at the receding back, but that was all Natalie saw before she was dragged away by Terence.

"Why'd you get so riled up?" She asked once they were out of hearing range.

Terence shrugged. "He's had it coming for a while now." He said offhandedly.

Natalie realized that this meant the redhead probably knew the jerk from before school, but she could tell he had no interest in pushing the topic further so she dropped it.

The Sorting had started, and Natalie watched in detached interest as several students went up and the hat called out the names of the houses. She perked up slightly as 'Falcon, Terence' was called and her detention buddy made his way up to the stool. The hat hesitated for about 30 seconds before calling "Ravenclaw!"

Natalie felt a bit downhearted as the boy sat himself down among his cheering housemates. She quickly berated herself for this. _Get over it! You aren't friends or anything!_ She quickly looked back to the front in time to see 'Glenview, Derek' be sent to Hufflepuff.

All too soon, the name 'Sampson, Natalie' rang out across the hall. Natalie struggled to the front and sat on the stool. The hat slipped over her eyes and she was suddenly encased in darkness.

"Oh boy, another tough case." She heard the hat sigh. In her head. The hat was _in her head_.

For a moment Natalie felt like freaking out, then remembered that she went to a school for witches and wizards now. So really, was a hat talking in your head so weird?

"Now let's see, Gryffindor? You are certainly brave, and unafraid to fight for yourself and your cause… but this needs cunning and determination as well, and you certainly have plenty of those… what do you think girl?"

Natalie was startled that the hat was asking her. "Um, excuse me?" She thought tentatively.

"I asked what do you think? Gryffindor or Slytherin?"

Natalie hesitated, but not for long. She knew exactly which house she wanted.

Natalie couldn't resist glancing at Terence's face as the Sorting Hat announced her decision. He looked shocked, which made her a little bit happy for a moment. Then she quickly set the hat down on the stool and strode over to her cheering housemates.

She found a spot between a slim, raven-haired boy and a dark-skinned girl. The girl leaned over and quietly asked. "Is Terence okay?"

Natalie looked up, startled. "Terence?"

"Yeah, he was in that fight. Is he okay?"

"Um, yeah, I guess. He has a couple bruises, but those are easy to fix…" She looked at the girl curiously. "Why?"

"He has a tendency to get himself hurt, and I'm starting to feel responsible for him." The older girl explained. "I'm Tessa, by the way. Tessa Harrison." She smiled. "Welcome to Slytherin."

Natalie sat impatiently until the Hat finally placed 'Young, Sarah' into Ravenclaw.

"Finally." Tessa breathed. "Your year is freaking HUGE! I think you've got maybe 30 more people than us!"

Natalie shrugged. "Well, isn't that a good thing? I mean, that means there are more witches and wizards than before."

Tessa shrugged. "I suppose."

The two girls hushed when Headmaster Dippet stepped forward and made his opening speech. Natalie tuned it out and unconsciously glanced over at Terence.

The fiery-haired boy wasn't paying attention to the Headmaster either, but was instead talking quietly to the pale blonde girl beside him. Natalie recognized her from the boat. That weird girl who had gone on about Gogles… Mel something.

Natalie was so focused on the two first year Ravenclaws that she didn't hear Dippet's final announcements and was thus extremely surprised to see a bunch of food suddenly appear on the table.

She let out a soft, startled yelp as a plate of pork roast found its way over to her. She couldn't help giggling and cutting a piece onto her plate.

Tessa was looking at her oddly as she marveled at the table. "Hey, are you alright?"  
>"What do you mean?" Natalie glanced at the older girl. "I'm great! Heck, I'm better than great, this is amazing!"<p>

Now there were a few more Slytherins looking at her strangely.

"What?" Natalie demanded, starting to shrink back behind her boundaries.

Tessa coughed. "Its just that… well… um… are you a muggle-born?"

Natalie frowned. "Yeah. Is there a problem?"

"No, no problem." But Natalie could tell from Tessa's face that her answer was troubling the older girl. "Its just that Slytherin house doesn't really accept muggle-borns. Ever."

Natalie blinked. "Oh."

The rest of the meal was eaten in silence.


End file.
